AM/FM/Shortwave in 2026: Emergency Radios Worth Owning
Last verified: August 2026
When the power's out and the phone is dead, a hand-crank radio keeps you connected to the outside world — and can charge your phone a little, too. Here's what to look for and how to keep one ready.
About emergency radios
When a storm knocks out the power and the internet, and phones start dying, a simple radio becomes your window to the world — local AM/FM stations carrying news and instructions, and the NOAA weather band carrying official warnings. The kind worth owning for emergencies doesn't depend on wall power: it has a hand crank and often a small solar panel, so you can always make it work.
The good ones combine several ways to stay powered — a rechargeable battery you top up ahead of time, a hand crank for when that runs down, solar for daylight, and sometimes regular disposable batteries as a last resort. Many also include a flashlight and a USB port that can put a little charge into your phone in a pinch. Familiar names include Midland, Eton, and RunningSnail.
Shortwave, once the way to hear far-off broadcasts, is far less essential today, but some radios still include it. For most families in Ohio, the priorities are simple: AM/FM plus NOAA weather, multiple power sources, and a light. Buy one, charge it, and keep it somewhere everyone can find in the dark.
When to skip the DIY and just call: Choosing a radio with the right power options · Charging it and testing every feature · Storing it where the family can find it in an outage.
Common Questions
1 What features actually matter?
- AM/FM plus the NOAA weather band — that covers news and official warnings.
- Multiple power sources: rechargeable battery, hand crank, and solar.
- A built-in flashlight and, ideally, a USB port to charge a phone a little.
- Simple, tactile controls you can work in the dark.
- Skip fancy extras you won't use; reliability beats gadgetry here.
2 How do I keep it ready for an outage?
- Charge it fully now, and top it up every few months.
- If it takes regular batteries as backup, keep a fresh set with it.
- Store it somewhere everyone knows — not buried in a closet.
- Test the crank, solar, flashlight, and weather band so you know they work.
- Give the crank a spin now and then so it stays free and easy to turn.
3 Can it really charge my phone?
- Many have a USB port that puts a small charge into a phone.
- Hand-cranking gives only a little power — enough for a quick call or text, not a full charge.
- A model with a bigger built-in battery holds more to share.
- Solar tops it up slowly in daylight.
- Treat it as an emergency trickle, not a replacement for a real power bank.
4 Do I need shortwave?
- For most families, no — AM/FM plus NOAA weather covers what you need.
- Shortwave can pull in distant and international broadcasts, of interest to hobbyists.
- It adds cost and complexity you may not use.
- If you want it, plenty of emergency radios include it.
- Not sure what to buy? Tell me how you'd use it and I'll point you to a dependable one.
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